Harry's Promise
by jennyelf
Summary: Harry makes a promise to Ginny in the Chamber of Secrets. Will he be able to fulfill that promise?
1. Did he or didn't he?

**A/N: The bold sections are from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, p. 293 (U.S. Edition) **So yes, another plot bunny blew in and I found myself unable to conentrate on CoP until at least this part was written. This is being written for a challenge on puffysubmariner on LJ. Major thanks to my beta jk-salmeier, for making sure that things don't sound too far off base. :)

Chapter One- Did he or didn't he?

Ginny Weasley was scared, deep in her bones scared. She had tried to tell Harry and Ron what she suspected, but had to flee when her older brother, Percy, had joined them at the table in the Great Hall. There was no way that "Perfect Percy" would ever understand what she was going through. More than likely he would tell Professor Dumbledore or McGonagall, mainly because he would feel compelled as a prefect to follow the rules. Ginny bit the inside of her lip as she thought about whether she should attempt to tell the twins or not. She shook her head as she knew that they would do no more than make fun of her. Really, Ron was her only hope here at Hogwarts. If only Bill were here in England, instead of Egypt; but regardless Bill couldn't save her now. Only Ron, her best friend and protector growing up, could help her fight Tom and try to get her out of the trouble she was in.

She paused in front of the Fat Lady's portrait, trying to remember why she had returned to Gryffindor Tower. Books, that's why she had returned. In her haste to tell Harry and Ron at breakfast this morning, she had forgotten her schoolbooks. Giving the password to the Fat Lady, Ginny scampered through the common room and up the stairs to her dorm room.

When she picked up her rucksack, Ginny noticed how heavy it was. She opened it to sort out the books that she didn't need. Taking a few out and placing them on her bed, Ginny reached in once more and clasped the black diary in her hand.

Immediately, two wills were pitted against one another- a valiant Gryffindor soul versus a cunning, ambitious Slytherin. Ginny felt Tom's consciousness scan her memories, causing her to almost wail as she knew he would discover what she had been planning. While he could scan and read her thoughts, she had yet to figure out how to return the favor. Her body started to move, but she commanded it to get on her bed. As her body was climbing on the bed, she felt Tom's presence seem to grow in her mind. Ginny did everything she could to force that presence out, or at least to the corner of her mind. However, Tom was too strong for her to fight for long so she found herself retreating to the corner herself. She wept as her body made its way out of the tower and down to the second floor.

Helplessly, she watched as Tom used her body to write a message on the wall of the second floor corridor. A chill raced through her as she read the message, **"Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever." **What was he planning on doing with her now? Her body, still under Tom's control, entered the second-floor girls' bathroom and crossed to one of the sinks. She gasped as she heard a hissing sound reverberate from her throat. Struggling to gain control of her body once more, Ginny could do nothing as she made her way into the Chamber. She wanted to whimper, but more importantly she wanted her mother. Ginny felt sure that her mother would be able to fight off this maniac that had taken over her body. She was shocked to hear Tom reply to that from outside her body.

"Oh, but my dear Ginevra, how wrong you are. No one could fight me off. After all, no one has ever gone down the road to immortality as far as I have," a ghostly figure of a tall, black haired boy said as he appeared in front of her.

"Who are you? How did you get here?" Ginny seemed to have gained some control of her body back, but she seemed to be incredibly weak as if her energy was being siphoned off or something.

"Oh, my dear Ginny, you don't recognize me- the friend you could carry around in your pocket? Well, you can't carry me around now, can you?" he laughed.

At the sound of his cold, harsh laugh, Ginny had a sudden realization of how inherently devious and evil Tom Riddle really was. A wave of shame and guilt swept over her as she realized how completely taken in she was by this young man's charms. She sat down on the floor in front of a huge statue, quietly weeping. Steam suddenly rushed over her back.

The ghost-like figure sneered at Ginny. "It seems like your friend Harry is coming to your rescue. Too bad that he'll be too late to save you." At this, her body slumped over as he took control once more. Forced back into her corner, she could do no more than watch as he positioned her body facedown, between the feet of the statue to wait for Harry's arrival.

Only too soon, she heard a door open. She wanted so desperately to jump up and scream for Harry to go back, but Tom had placed a Full Body-Bind Charm on her so she could not move. Ginny didn't even know where the ghost-like figure had disappeared to. She was getting tired and was having a hard time focusing.

She heard footsteps come close to her. Then the voice that she loved to hear. "Ginny Weasley, don't you dare be dead," she heard Harry say. "Please, don't be dead. I don't want to have to tell your mum, or your dad for that matter, that I was too late."

She felt him place his hands on her shoulders and gently roll her over. She wished her eyes weren't closed. She wanted to see Harry as he was talking to her, but her mind was slowly turning off.

"Look, I'll make a deal with you," Harry said in a rush. "If you aren't dead and don't die on me, then I'll take you to Hogsmeade the first weekend you can go. Promise. Please, Ginny, wake up."

Ginny couldn't believe her ears. Did Harry just promise her that he would take her to Hogsmeade? Or was that the product of her very tired brain? With that last thought, she slipped into unconsciousness.


	2. Reflections

A/N: The bold sections are from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, p. 74.

Chapter Two-- Reflections

July 1993- Egypt

Ginny Weasley leaned against the outer wall of a pyramid. After much begging and pleading, her mother had still refused to allow her entrance to the pyramid so here she stood. To her, it didn't make sense that her parents were willing to leave her outside by herself just because there were supposedly mutant skeletons in there. After all, she had seen worse than that this past year. Bored, she started tracing out letters with her foot in the sand that surrounded the huge building.

Trying to come up with something to occupy her time, her thoughts returned, as always lately, to her previous school year and, of course, Harry Potter. At the end of her generally horrific first year, Harry had done what she had always dreamed of him doing ever since her dad read her the story, _The Boy Who Lived_ the first time. He had come to her rescue and saved her life. Unfortunately, she hadn't realized that playing the role of the damsel in distress required her to be in real danger. Harry had been the perfect knight, though. Yet, while Harry had lived up to her expectations, _she_ had not lived up to everyone else's, including her own. She felt deeply saddened by the fact that she hadn't followed her dad's directive to never trust anything that you couldn't see where its brain was. _What Harry must think of her now_, she thought. _A foolish, stupid little girl_. She sighed.

She wished she remembered what had happened in the Chamber after Harry had arrived. The whole section of time in her memory from the moment she arrived in her dorm room to when she arrived at Professor McGonagall's office was fuzzy. Madame Pomfrey had told her this was her brain's way of protecting her. Apparently something happened that her unconscious brain said she wasn't ready to deal with yet. If the medi-witch was right, which Ginny wasn't too sure about, Ginny would remember when she was ready to and not a moment before.

While Ginny felt that losing these memories, on the whole, would be a good thing, there was one small incident about which she desperately wanted to know more. She longed for a way to go back and find out what had happened, especially right before she went unconscious. Ginny thought she had heard Harry make a promise to her about Hogsmeade, but since it was part of the memories that were unclear, she wasn't sure.

Thinking of Harry, she remembered that Harry's birthday was coming up, which sparked an internal debate. Should she send Harry a birthday card or not? On one hand, he _had_ saved her life and deserved recognition of his birthday for that reason alone. But, on the other, she didn't think he had appreciated the Valentine she had sent him last year. So the question became-- would he appreciate a birthday card from her now? Or would he think that she was being young and foolish just like last year?

Looking down, she saw that she had unconsciously written HP + GW in the sand. This did nothing to help her make her choice. Finally, her decision was made for her as her family trailed the guide out of the pyramid. No birthday card to Harry from Ginny this year, it seemed.

As she followed her family, Ginny made a silent wish that Harry would send a card for her birthday. She almost wanted to make it a test of some sorts, like if he sent one, then it would mean he did make the promise. But if he didn't, then the promise was a figment of her imagination, after all. The only thing that stopped her from viewing it like this was the fact that she wasn't sure if Harry even knew when her birthday was. Still, Ginny had hope.

August 1993- The Leaky Cauldron

After the door closed behind Tom, the innkeeper, Harry became pensive. He crossed to the bed and sat down with his back leaning against the headboard to ponder what he was going to do. Reviewing the conversation about Hogsmeade he had just had with the Minister, Harry just sighed.

At the end of last school year, he made a promise to Ginny that he would take her on her first weekend trip to Hogsmeade. Admittedly, she wasn't allowed to go this year as she was a year behind him in school. But he could not see how he was going to get permission to go as his legal guardians would never allow him to do anything that might make him happy. Just look at why he was here at the Leaky Cauldron. Aunt Marge's visit had been simply a disaster waiting to happen. It was all due to the fact that Aunt Marge refused to let him out of her sight, which would have made him extremely happy.

Harry realized that his only hope was Professor Dumbledore or perhaps Professor McGonagall. He took a deep breath. That was what he would do--he would ask them to sign his permission form. Surely Professor Dumbledore would understand about his aunt and uncle. Harry hoped that he wouldn't have to explain why he wanted to go to Hogsmeade so badly this year as he didn't care to tell the headmaster that he really wanted to go in order to know where to take Ginny when they went the following year.

Harry got his bed things out of his trunk and readied himself for bed. Lying down with his hands cradling the back of his head, he thought about what Ron had written about how Mrs. Weasley had not let Ginny go into one of the pyramids. He was sure that had not gone over well if Ginny was anything like her brothers. While Ginny might not be a close friend yet, like her brothers were, he still had hope. He smiled and reminded himself of the one thing that he absolutely refused to do. That was break a promise to a friend, even if Ginny didn't remember him making one.

September 1, 1993- Great Hall, Hogwarts

Ginny sat at the Gryffindor table, watching the first years get sorted, feeling undeniably glum. She was fairly certain after the day's events that her idea that Harry had made a promise to her was nothing more than wishful thinking. And to think, it had started off well or so she had thought. She mentally reviewed the

_When the group arrived at King's Cross, Ginny __ran through the barrier with her brother, Percy. After their arrival on the platform, she and Harry had to hide their laughter as they watched Percy preen his way to his girlfriend Penelope. _

_A few minutes later, __Ginny paused after getting on the train, scanning through the crowd on the platform for Harry. She was working on a plan to find out if he had actually made the promise to her, but a couple of more pieces needed to fall in place. She had, in fact, started on the plan the other night at dinner. She casually asked a question about Hogsmeade. While all the other Hogwarts students jumped into the discussion, Harry had remained markedly silent. This, of course, meant that she was no closer to finding out the truth, or at least she didn't think so._

_She spotted him by a pillar talking with her dad, facing the train. Able to watch him unobtrusively, she gathered from his facial expressions that what they were talking about was not very pleasant. In fact, Harry's countenance got gloomier as the conversation wore on. Ginny wondered what it was they were talking about. Maybe she could find out._

_In a moment, the guard had closed the door to the train carriage. Ginny watched as Ron stepped toward the door, waiting to open it for Harry as he ran to catch the train. She was reminded of a similar scene two years ago when she chased the train that had carried her brothers away from her. Luckily, Harry wasn't going to be left behind._

"_**Go away, Ginny," said Ron.**_

_Ginny looked immediately to Harry, who seemed to be avoiding her eyes. When no remonstration came from him, she turned on her heel, saying __**"Oh, that's nice,"**__ rather huffily over her shoulder. Not knowing how to handle that rejection, she went to sit with Fred and George. Her time on the train was spent staring out at the countryside, but that changed toward the end of the ride._

_Ginny started making her way to the compartment with her things when the train started slowing down. She hadn't figured out that something was wrong until the lights went out. Slowly, inching her way__ to the compartment, she ran into Hermione outside the door. Ginny entered the compartment and almost sat on Harry before settling in the corner. And that's when it happened. All the happiness in the world disappeared when Tom Riddle whispered to her once more. Apparently, Harry hadn't banished him, after all. Waves of helplessness crashed over her like they had the previous year. Hearing the insidious voice resound in her ears once more, she curled up and wept. After a minute or two of hearing Tom make horrible suggestions as to things she could do to the other students, the voice disappeared. She opened her eyes to see Harry lying on the floor of the compartment. Ron and Hermione were trying to wake him up. Her eyes met those of Neville, who looked as shaken as she felt. She looked back at Harry to see him slowly sit up. When she let out a sob at seeing him, her defender, so shaken up, Hermione came to comfort her. Harry looked over towards her. She flinched away from his glance and turned to gaze out the window, even though she could see nothing due to the dark sky and the tears that welled in her eyes._

Yet, not once did Harry even ask about her and whether she was okay. She stared at the last of the first years to be sorted. It seemed she would have to find some new friends because it was perfectly clear to her that Harry Potter didn't want to be one of hers whatsoever.


	3. Misunderstandings

A/N: The bold section is from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, p. 150. This chapter is longer than most of mine and I originally had planned for this to be in chapter 2. Let me know what you think. As always, great thanks to my beta, Jonelle! :D

Chapter Three--Misunderstandings

October 1993-- Hogwarts

Crestfallen, Harry trudged his way out of his Transfiguration classroom with Professor McGonagall's words ringing in his ears. _**"The form clearly states that the parent or guardian must give permission. I'm sorry, Potter, but that's my final word." **_With those two sentences, she had completely dashed his hopes for attending the Hogsmeade trip on Halloween. There was no way he would be able to go now. Professor McGonagall wasn't a teacher known for changing her mind.

He listened to the other students talking merrily about their plans for Hogsmeade. His plan had been to scout out the town, searching for places that Ginny would like to visit next year on her first visit. He didn't want her to have to spend all her time deciphering the layout of the village and determining which places warranted viewing and which did not. Friends helped each other out like that. Caught up in his thoughts, Harry blindly followed the sound of Ron and Hermione's raised voices assuming that they would get him wherever he was supposed to go next.

Other than his lack of permission to visit Hogsmeade, Harry had another obstacle in his way to fulfilling his promise to take Ginny to the village: Ginny herself. Ever since the train ride to Hogwarts, she had been giving Harry a cold shoulder. Whenever he tried to talk to her, whether in the Great Hall or the common room, she always acted as if she never even heard him. If she never talked to him, then how could he find out what she liked in order to determine the best places to take her? He sat down at a random table in class, without worrying about who he was sitting beside. Harry automatically pulled out parchment and ink and copied down the instructions on the board.

But then she most likely didn't remember him making the promise to take her. Would she even want to go with him now? He worried that she had got the impression that he was fragile, or worse, a wimp from what had happened on the train. That was the only possible reason he could come up with as to why she wouldn't be talking to him now. Mechanically, Harry stood and crossed the room to gather his supplies.

He thought that he and Ginny would be able to form a connection since both of them had their lives touched by Voldemort in a way very few people had. Yet, if anything, he felt further away from her than ever. He couldn't help thinking that if they were friends, then he would at least have someone he could talk to while Ron and Hermione were at Hogsmeade on Halloween. As it was, he had no one.

While he methodically and instinctively chopped some ingredients to add to his cauldron, memories of previous Halloweens rose unbidden in his mind. Nights at the Dursleys where he was never allowed out while Dudley went out all costumed looking for every sweet he could find. His first year when the troll was after Hermione in the lav. Last year, Nearly Headless Nick's deathday party and hearing the hissing sounds from the basilisk. No, Halloween was never a good time for Harry. Hearing a voice coming from his left shoulder, he startled.

He looked down into his bubbling cauldron, wondering where it and the potion in it had come from. He turned to ask Hermione, but Neville was sitting to his left and there was an empty seat on his right. Rubbing his eyes, Harry tried to figure out just when he had arrived in Potions and how it was Snape hadn't disturbed him yet. He looked towards the front of the room to see Snape stirring a potion that was smoking faintly. Ah, so the Potions master was making his own potion. That's why he hadn't come around the room. Glancing at the blackboard, he saw that the potion he was brewing was supposed to look exactly like it was at the moment. Maybe he should get lost in his thoughts more. His Potions grade might just be better for it.

* * *

November 1993--Hogwarts

Ginny Weasley stood in the Gryffindor stands, huddling under an umbrella with one of her new friends. As it turned out, her roommates weren't so hard to get along with. Well, if you weren't being possessed, that is. As a result, she had quite a few friends now. She had even renewed her friendship with a childhood friend, Luna Lovegood, who had been sorted into Ravenclaw. While Ginny wished that Luna had been in Gryffindor, she understood that being in the same house was not a requirement for friendship. Yet, there was one person in her house whose friendship she simply longed for still. Harry.

Several times this year she had wanted to talk to him. In fact, she would have sworn that she heard his voice as if he was talking to her. When she turned to find him though, he was never looking at her or even close to her. She chalked it up to her imagination as usual, just like the promise she had thought he had made. A streak of red and gold caught her attention as she tried to follow the match in the storm. As much as she longed to play on the team, she was quite happy to be in the stands for this particular match. Actually she'd prefer to be in front of the fireplace in the common room at the moment. She closed her eyes to imagine the warmth of the fire when she heard Hermione scream.

Instantly an eerily seductive voice seemed to whisper in her ear, pleading for her to kill all the roosters and then to use the Basilisk to kill the Mudbloods. She felt faint and slumped down onto the cold, wet seat of the bleacher. Shivers ran up and down her spine as she stared unseeingly out over the pitch. She tried to remind herself that Harry had gotten rid of Tom, but the voice was persistent in its demands. Just as he was reminding her of the acts she had done, the voice faded away. Slowly, she regained awareness of her surroundings.

Anna, one of her roommates, tugged on her hand. "Ginny? Are you all right?" Anna asked, her light green eyes looking concerned into Ginny's dark brown ones.

"I'm fine," Ginny said brusquely, dismissing the concern with a wave of her hand. "What's going on?"

"Apparently dementors came on the field. I didn't see them myself, but I can't see much of anything in this weather. Professor Dumbledore did something to banish them, but not before Harry Potter was hurt…" Anna started to explain before Ginny interrupted.

"Harry was hurt? How?" Ginny grabbed Anna's slim forearms, refusing to let go until she got an answer. Anna bobbled the umbrella for a minute before answering.

"Well, he fell, didn't he? Ginny, you were right here. It happened right in front of us. How did you not see what happened?" Anna wore a very puzzled look. Ginny didn't bother to explain. She looked out over the pitch and saw a crowd of red and gold uniforms heading toward the castle. Brushing past people with rather glum faces lingering in the stands, Ginny hurried to try to catch up with her brothers. She knew that they would be able to tell her how Harry was.

Oh she wished she had some chocolate. When Professor Lupin had given her some on the train, it had made her feel so warm and safe. She would love to feel like that right now, but she didn't have time to go to her room to get any if she wanted to find out what was going on.

Ginny didn't catch up to her brothers until they reached the doors of the Hospital Wing. Stopping Fred before he went in, she asked him about Harry.

"Fred, is Harry going to be okay? What happened?" Ginny panted, having run all the way from the stands. She hunched over trying to catch her breath after asking her questions.

"Gin, I'm not entirely sure." Fred looked over his shoulder at the door to the Hospital Wing as if he could see through it. "We couldn't really see much up in the air. I saw him fall and Dumbledore do something to stop his momentum, but he fell about 20 meters or so. Luckily the ground was squishy." Fred turned back to Ginny before running a hand through his wet hair. "Harry's going to take it something terrible that we lost."

"Wait, what? We lost? How in the name of Merlin did we lose? Harry never misses a Snitch," Ginny was incredulous.

"Cedric Diggory, the Hufflepuff seeker didn't see Harry fall. Apparently they were chasing the Snitch and Cedric caught it. He tried to forfeit, but the game had already been called." Fred shrugged and looked downcast.

Ginny bit her lip. "How long do you think Harry will be in here?" Ginny asked, gesturing towards the Hospital Wing as if her brother didn't know what she was talking about.

"Knowing Madam Pomfrey, it will be at least overnight." Fred looked her over. "Ginny, you're soaked. Why don't you go grab a hot shower? After I find something out, then I'll come tell you. How's that?"

Ginny suddenly realized how cold she was as the water dripped off her robes onto the floor, creating a small ring around her. "That actually sounds really good. But, first promise me. Promise that you'll come tell me how he is." She gripped her wand hard in her right hand inside her pocket. She didn't want to have to hex her brother, but she had to know how Harry was.

"Oh, is little Gin-Gin not over her crush yet? Here I was thinking that she had moved past it, but interesting how these things pop up," Fred grinned at her until she pulled out her wand. Then he blanched. Gulping hard, the wizard nodded vigorously.

"I'm sorry. I didn't hear you promise. Was there something you needed to say?" Ginny asked smirking at her older brother.

Fred cleared his throat and tried to say something. When nothing came out, he cleared his throat once more. "I… promise, Ginny."

"Now was that so hard?" Ginny smiled and then sobered. "Thanks, Fred. I mean it." Fred just waved over his shoulder as he made his way into the Hospital Wing.

Shivering, Ginny turned to head towards Gryffindor Tower. Thinking back to what happened on the pitch, she realized that it must have been the dementors that caused Harry to fall. After all, he had fallen off the seat in the train compartment when they came around before. Wouldn't it make sense that he would fall off his broom the same way? She wondered what Harry heard when they came around. Could it be Tom, like she did? But then how could he? He didn't have Tom possessing him, like she did. Still, it must be something very bad for him to forget how to fly. After all, Harry was known as a natural at flying.

She must do something to help cheer him up. But what could she do? A cheering charm? No, Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let her even try, as she hadn't learned how to do it in class yet. Having the twins play a prank on Malfoy? Hmm. Not very original. She thought back to things that cheered her up when she was hurt. A get well card? Hmm. A special song? Maybe. Her eyes widened. What about a special get-well card that played a friendship song? Maybe then he would understand that she wanted to be friends. She hurried to get up to her dorm to get started.

When she gave the password at the portrait, the Fat Lady just looked at her in amusement.

"Dearie, you look like you've been swimming with the squid in the lake."

Ginny glared at the Fat Lady. "Would you just open the door, please?" Ginny asked very impatiently.

* * *

After a quick hot shower, Ginny was sitting on her bed, combing out her hair when Anna returned to their room. "Ah, just the girl I wanted to see," Ginny exclaimed.

Anna looked taken aback. "Me? You wanted to see me? Why?" Her look had changed to sceptical.

Ginny just smiled at her while continuing to comb out her hair. "Anna, I know you're a huge music buff. I don't know many songs as a result of only being able to listen to Celestina Warbeck in my house. Do you know of any songs that talk about friendship?"

Anna seemed to ponder this before saying, "I know a few actually. All of them are Muggle songs though. What do you want it for?"

"Well, I want to use a song in a card for a friend, but I need a good song that talks about being friends." Ginny placed her comb on the bedside table before turning over on her stomach on the bed. She propped her chin on her hands. "How can we hear the songs if they are Muggle ones?" she wondered aloud.

"I don't know," Anna said as she plopped down on her bed. Her long light brown hair swung into her eyes, causing her to blow the strands out of her way. "I know several songs from some Disney movies as well as some other songs. What exactly are you trying to say to this friend?"

"Hmm. I want him to know that I'm here if he needs me, that I want to be friends." Ginny grabbed a strand of her hair and started twirling it around her finger. "I mean, he was there for me last year and I want to repay him." She looked over at Anna. "Do you have a song that says that?"

"Well, there are two songs that I can think of that say something like that. Here let me write down the lyrics and you can look over them." As Anna grabbed parchment, ink and quill, Ginny sat up on her knees, grabbing at her head.

"I can't believe I forgot to go see Fred. I'll be right back." She ran down the stairs to the common room. Scanning it, she didn't see Ron, Hermione, or Harry, though she really didn't expect to see him as she thought he would still be with Madam Pomfrey. Seeing the telltale red hair that signalled a Weasley, she headed to the corner where her brothers sat with Lee Jordan.

Slipping an arm around Fred's shoulders, she leaned down to whisper, "Why haven't I heard the alarm to the girl's staircase go off?"

Fred, startled, turned around in the chair to look at his sister. "Ginny, I was just waiting for you down here," he rushed to say before she could question him further. "Harry's going to be fine. Madam Pomfrey said he would probably be there all weekend though." Ginny, hearing this, started contemplating when she should give him the card and how she was going to add the song.

"Fred, do you know how to make it so a song plays when you open a card?" Ginny asked.

"Sure," Fred grinned at her. "Say the following spell while waving your wand: 'Please don't let me get this wrong, let the card play a song.' It works every time."

"Fred! I need a real charm, not one of your phony made-up things," Ginny rebuked him, swatting him on the arm. "I am not as gullible as our brother, Ron." Deciding she might have better luck with Percy, she looked around the room for him. "Fred, have you seen our elder brother Percy lately?"

* * *

After talking with Percy, where she basically had to blackmail him to get the charm for the song and have him show her the wand movements, she made her way back up the stairs, still performing the wand movement over and over again to make sure she wouldn't forget it.

Anna was lying on her bed, softly singing to herself before stopping and writing something down. Ginny watched her for a few minutes from the doorway to their room while continuing to practice the wand movement. Seeing Anna give a nod, Ginny spoke up.

"Hey. Sorry it took so long. My brothers," Ginny rolled her eyes and shrugged. "You know how they are. But I found out how to add a song to a card." Her face brightened. She gave Anna what she considered her best smile. "There's just one little, itty-bitty obstacle to me adding it." Ginny bit her lip as she looked at Anna with hope in her eyes.

"What do you want now?" Anna asked with a sigh as she pulled herself up to a sitting position on her bed.

"You see, I am a horrible singer. Plus, I don't know these songs," Ginny started before pausing to gather her thoughts of how to approach this. She crossed to sit beside Anna on her bed. Turning toward Anna, she continued. "In order for me to add the song, I have to have a recording of it. So I thought I could record you singing the song and then I could add it. Would you help me… please?" Ginny wanted to wring her hands in nervousness, but couldn't with her wand in her hand. She knew that the only way this would work is if Anna would agree to sing for her.

"Sure," Anna said offhandedly. "I love to sing. You just have to choose which song."

Ginny poured over the lyrics to the two songs that Anna had copied down for her. She listened to Anna sing both and finally made her decision. Recording the song and adding it to her get-well card that she fashioned for Harry using the spell "_Carmenia Adaugeo_", Ginny was ready to present it to Harry. She decided that she would take it to him first thing in the morning.


	4. Reactions

A/N: The bold section is from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, p. 261. Thanks to my beta, Jonelle! You're the best! Only two more chapters!

Chapter Four—Reactions

November 1993—Hospital Wing, Hogwarts

Harry sat in the hospital bed, trying to piece together the broken twigs lying across his lap that had once composed his trusty broom. His thoughts returned to those horrid Dark creatures that had caused him to lose control and fall from his broom. How was it that they affected him so badly? Did they upset anyone else even close to the way they upset him? The only others he had seen distressed in the presence of them were Neville and Ginny. He didn't know if anyone had been affected yesterday since he had kind of been involved in other things. Still, he hated the feeling of powerlessness that he got whenever they were around. He wished he could talk to Neville or Ginny, but Neville… well, Neville was something of an enigma to Harry. Harry, indeed, wanted to get to know him better. Yet, it was as if Neville had a wall around him not letting very many in to see the real Neville. Then there was Ginny. He still was hoping to be able to keep his promise to her, but he despaired of how he was going to convince her to go with him to Hogsmeade if she refused to talk to him.

He glanced towards the door when he heard the knob grind against the lock. A bright red head peeked around the door. It wasn't Ron, who he normally would have expected with that colour hair except for the fact that it was too early in the morning. No, it was actually the subject of his previous thoughts. But what was she doing here?

Harry watched silently as she slid her body through the smallest crack in the door that she could before sliding the door close with the least amount of noise. She looked around the ward before setting her shoulders to head towards Harry's bed. Uh oh. He had a feeling that she was going to chew him out for totalling his broom. Yet, when she spotted him watching her, her face grew scarlet and she quickly lowered her eyes to the paper in her hands. Harry realized she looked kinda cute when she blushed. But she wouldn't blush if she was going to fuss at him. Her feet never faltered in their steps toward his bed. He decided to wait for her to start talking. She didn't start talking until she reached the curtain that could be pulled around his bed.

"Um… hi. I," Ginny started before biting her lip. He saw her take a deep breath before continuing. "I wanted to wish you a very speedy recovery." She waved the paper in her hand towards him. "I made you this get well card. I hope you like it." He waited for her to hand it to him, but she continued to clutch it in her hand. Her eyes darted around the room, looking everywhere but at him.

"I'm sure I will, thank you." Sensing her nervousness, Harry changed the subject. "I'm sorry that I lost the Quidditch match." Ginny looked directly at him then.

"Harry Potter, a Quidditch match is not worth more than your life. All that matters is if you're going to be okay." Her eyes were blazing and he felt hypnotized for a moment by the fire in them.

"I'll be fine. Madam Pomfrey assures me that I'll be back in classes on Monday," Harry reassured her. An awkward silence filled the room and seemed deafening to Harry.

Finally, Ginny spoke up. "Well, I just came by to give you the card. I guess I better get to breakfast." Ginny started to turn with the card still in her hand when Harry stopped her with his words.

"Ginny? Could I have my card, please?" Harry asked very politely. Ginny blushed yet again as she stepped closer to hand him the card. "Let everyone in Gryffindor know that I'm sorry that I totalled my broom."

Harry watched Ginny's face cloud over in confusion as if she didn't understand something. "Whatever do you mean, Harry? You broke the broom to bits. You didn't add anything to it." With that, she turned and escaped as fast as her legs would carry her.

Harry looked down at the parchment in his hands. He smiled as the green-coloured words "Get Well, Harry!" seemed to zoom from one side to the other before stopping towards the top. Opening the card, Harry was startled to hear a song burst forth. He only managed to hear one line before Madam Pomfrey came rushing out.

"Mr. Potter, you should be resting. Not listening to caterwauling. Now, hand it over," the matron demanded.

"But, but… please Madame Pomfrey. It's a get well card," Harry tried to reassure the medi-witch.

"Regardless, it is simply too early for that sort of thing. I'll give it back later. But you need to rest." Harry heard her give a "Hmph" sound to punctuate her nod to him. He laid back against the pillows of his bed. So what was he supposed to make of the line, "Keep smiling, keep shining, knowing you can always count on me"**? He was still pondering that when he fell asleep.

February 1994- Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw Quidditch match

Ginny sat in the stands between Hermione and Anna, waiting for the teams to come out. The day was completely different than the last time she had been here to watch Gryffindor play and not only in terms of the weather. Now instead of merely wishing that Harry was her friend, she and Harry actually managed to have conversations. Apparently he had gotten her hint about being friends from the get-well card. She smiled as she thought back to some of the talks they would have at breakfast in the Great Hall and how he would help her with her homework sometimes in the common room. Her view of Harry as her hero was slowly changing to one of a good friend, just like she had wanted. Friends were on equal terms whereas a rescuer always had to protect the damsel in distress. She didn't want that type of relationship with anyone anymore.

Ravenclaw came out of the locker rooms first. Watching the team flying around the pitch, she didn't boo like she would have if it had been Slytherin. Still, she was loyal to her house. Besides, Ravenclaw only had one female on their team. At least Gryffindor's captain realized that girls could play just as well as boys. Red and gold streaks streamed by the stands in their pre-game flight around the pitch. Ginny cheered as the team landed in formation.

She leaned over into Hermione to make a comment on the team when she saw Harry look over the other team with his glance stopping at the Ravenclaw girl. Blood drained out of Ginny's face as she recognized the look on Harry's face. She had seen that look on her brothers' faces enough times to know what it meant. Harry found that girl attractive. Ginny straightened back up, lost in her own thoughts, unaware that the teams had taken to the air.

Harry was going to ask her out. Ginny just knew it. Then he would spend all of his time with _her_, instead of his friends. Plus, since _she_ was in another house, Harry wouldn't spend as much time in the Gryffindor common room. It wasn't fair. She was just getting Harry as a friend. She shouldn't have to lose him now.

Her attention was caught by the Gryffindor captain yelling at Harry. **"HARRY, THIS IS NO TIME TO BE A GENTLEMAN! KNOCK HER OFF HER BROOM IF YOU HAVE TO!"** See, he liked her so much that he was willing to concede air space for her. She scowled as she watched the Ravenclaw seeker grin at Harry before marking him. Ginny knew her dream of going to Hogsmeade with Harry was just that--a dream. Harry could go with any girl at Hogwarts. Okay, maybe not Pansy Parkinson, but really who would want to go with her other than Malfoy? Still she doubted that he would want to take her if he had the opportunity to take Cho.

Feeling rather glum, she watched the remainder of the match, cheering only slightly when Harry spotted the Snitch. She saw the supposed dementors, but she knew that there was no way they were the real thing as Tom hadn't made an appearance.

Puzzled by the light that shot out of Harry's wand right before he caught the Snitch, Ginny slowly made her way out of the stands falling behind the crowd. She knew there would be a party in the common room, but she thought maybe she should go to the library and see if she could figure out what spell Harry had cast. Evidently it was something that was supposed to help against the dementors. She wouldn't mind learning that one herself. Anything to help her get Tom out of her head was a good thing. Besides, she didn't think Harry would even notice that she wasn't there. Bypassing the turn in the castle to the Tower, she made her way to the library.

May 1994-- London

In the backseat of the Dursleys' car as they headed back to Surrey, Harry pulled out the slip of parchment signed by Sirius saying that he could visit Hogsmeade. He smiled at the thought that now he would be able to fulfil his promise to Ginny that he had made over a year ago. Although she had been rather distant with him since the Gryffindor- Ravenclaw match, which had been strange as she didn't celebrate with everyone else in the common room, it was simply a matter of reminding her that he had made the promise. His eyes widened as he realized that now he had to get up the nerve to actually ask her.

A/N: ** "That's What Friends Are For" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager.


	5. The Dangers of Flirting

A/N: The bold section is from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, p. 80. Thanks to my beta, Jonelle. As a result of talking with her, the ideas for this chapter flowed. So as a result, there is now an extra chapter. So two more after this one. :)

Chapter Five--The Dangers of Flirting

August 1994--Quidditch World Cup

"**Well, why don't you, Harry, and He****rmione go and get us some water then"—Mr. Weasley handed over the kettle and a couple of saucepans—"and the rest of us will get some wood for a fire?"**

Ginny grimaced behind her father. Of course, he wouldn't suggest that she go with them because after all, they weren't the closest to her in age. Really, did he think she wanted to be stuck with him and the twins? Rolling her eyes, she started to turn away from the group when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Ginny, would you like to come with us?" Harry asked rather hesitantly, running his hand through his hair. She glanced towards Ron and Hermione who were carrying on a conversation with her dad.

"Sure. That would be great," Ginny responded smiling broadly at Harry. "I'm kind of scared of what the twins might pull while getting wood for a fire." She said as they walked together toward Ron and Hermione. With the kettle and saucepans in hand, the foursome headed off across the campsite.

There were witches and wizards as far as the eye could see. While Ginny was not surprised at the number of people, it was apparent that Harry was. Along the way to the water station, two of the trio's classmates were spotted. Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas were spotted in front of a shamrock-covered tent. Seamus struck up a conversation with Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"How are you enjoying your World Cup experience… Ginny, isn't it?" Dean smiled at her. Ginny smiled back before ducking her head. She tilted her head to the side to look at him as she answered.

"Well, we really just got here. But so far, it's been good. How about you?" Ginny responded, twisting a lock of her hair around one finger nervously.

"Oh, I'm having a blast. It's not so different from a Muggle football World Cup, really. Well, except there's much better scenery here." He gave her a long look. She couldn't help but blush. She didn't really want to leave the conversation, but Hermione started tugging on her arm to pull her toward the water station.

Ginny walked a few meters before glancing back over her shoulder. Dean was still smiling at her. Hermione pulled on her again as she had started to slow. After another couple of meters, she looked back once more to see Seamus butting shoulders with Dean, laughing as Dean continued to watch her. Finally, heeding Hermione's call, she hurried to catch up with the others.

Once in queue for the water, Hermione was looking strangely at an older wizard who appeared to be in a nightgown of sorts. Overhearing the conversation between the old wizard, Archie and the Ministry worker, the girls looked at one another and burst out in giggles. Ginny tried to stop laughing by taking deep breaths. Yet, the moment she caught Hermione's eye, she would start all over again. Finally, the two girls had to walk away from each other to stop their laughter.

Coming back to the queue once they had collected themselves, Ginny filled up her saucepan and started walking back towards their tent with Harry.

"Ginny, are you looking forward to this coming school year?" Harry asked, holding his pan out away from his body.

"I am, actually," Ginny responded, thinking about it. She gripped the pan with both hands. "This year I actually start off the year with friends and don't have to worry so much about having to make them. Plus, I don't have to worry about whether everyone in the castle blames me for what happened my first year. Most of them don't know about what really went on. I don't even know it all myself."

"Plus, this year you start new classes as well as have the opportunity to go to Hogsmeade. Aren't you looking forward to those?" Harry asked.

"Yes-- " Ginny got cut off by Oliver Wood, calling to Harry. As they talked, Ginny wondered if Harry was trying to lead the conversation toward Hogsmeade. Could this be about the promise? Could it be that wasn't a figment of her imagination, after all?

As they left Oliver Wood to return to their tent, Ginny was trying to figure out how to restart their previous conversation when they past Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw seeker. Harry waved at her so vigorously that he spilled water all down his front. Downcast, at his exuberance toward Cho, Ginny sped up to walk beside Hermione. Ginny knew that there was no way Harry would ever be considering taking her to Hogsmeade when he could take Cho.

HPGWHPGWHPGWHPGWHPGW

After the girls had left for their tent, Harry slipped on his pyjamas. Unable to calm his mind from all the incredible moves he saw on display at the match, he stepped out into the main area of the tent. Still feeling restless, he settled down in the area between the two tents to see if he could find some constellations that he had learned about in Astronomy. Images from the Quidditch match earlier zoomed through his mind as if it was in front of his eyes instead of the stars.

Voices coming from the girls' tent caught his attention, especially when he heard his name.

"But Ginny, what about Harry? Don't you fancy him anymore?" Harry didn't even think about the fact that he shouldn't be listening. He just scooted closer to their tent.

"Harry, well, he's just a friend. I mean, he won't ever see me as anything more than Ron's little sister." At this, Harry wanted to burst into the tent, screaming 'I see you as just Ginny, just like you see me as just Harry.' Yet, he knew enough to know that his idea probably wasn't the best. He decided to stay where he was and continue to listen. "I've given up on him."

"Well, then, I'll ask again. What about Dean? You _were_ flirting with him today."

"No, I wasn't. Was I? I don't know…I guess I just appreciated the fact that he actually spoke to me. Seamus didn't even acknowledge that I was there. And Dean gave me a compliment. I haven't' gotten that many from guys other than my dad before." Harry could hear her smile in her voice. "At least, I think it was a compliment. I don't know. Do you think he might ask me to Hogsmeade, Hermione?"

"You never know, Ginny. You never know."

"So, Hermione, what about you and Ron? Tell me everything." At this, Harry scrambled up and into the tent. Lying down on the bunk, he reviewed what he had just learned. Ginny had given up on him and now wanted to go to Hogsmeade with Dean? Well, he had made a promise to take her to Hogsmeade for her first trip. By Merlin, he would fulfil his promise if it was the last thing he did. He just had to take some action.


	6. Revelations

Looks like this will be an eight chapter story. :)

Chapter Six--Revelations

September 1, 1994--Hogwarts Express

Harry was absentmindedly chewing his Cauldron Cake while daydreaming about what Hogwarts would be like if Malfoy were to have gone to Durmstrang. Caught up in these fantasies, Harry didn't notice Ginny sit down beside him until he heard her voice. She was turned toward Dean, who was sitting on the other side of her, arguing with him about which was better--Quidditch or Muggle football? Wait, Ginny was arguing with someone other than her brothers? She didn't normally talk that much, did she? At least, she didn't around him. He guessed that meant that she had truly gotten over him, like he had heard her say. While he thought that he should consider this a good thing as she wouldn't get the wrong idea when he asked her to Hogsmeade, he couldn't figure out what was causing this feeling welling up within him. He tried to place what the feeling was, but it was completely unknown to him.

He startled when Ginny turned to him and asked a question. At least, he thought she had asked a question by the pleading look on her face. He tried to speak, only to realize that he still had food in his mouth. Quickly, he swallowed and replied, "I'm sorry. Did you ask me something, Ginny?"

She rolled her eyes and repeated herself. "Don't you agree that Quidditch has to be better than Muggle football as we compete in the air versus being stuck on the ground?"

Pretending to think about it for a moment, he rubbed his chin. "I'm not sure, Ginny, that you can really compare the two for that very reason. However, there is no greater feeling than flying."

"Oh, I beg to differ, Harry. There are other things that can make you feel like you're flying," Dean responded, looking at Ginny and smiling. Harry wanted to roll his eyes at this, but he wanted to pay close attention to how Ginny responded. He felt his stomach sink when he saw her blush in response.

Luckily, Seamus caught the whole compartment's attention with talk of the World Cup and the conversation flowed from there. Harry continued to watch Ginny and Dean out of the corner of his eye. Pretty soon Hermione left for the loo and Ron left shortly after to find the food trolley. Seamus went to find Lavender and Parvati. Harry decided to switch benches so he could face the two that remained in the compartment.

The conversation between the three of them seemed very stilted, so Harry kept out of it and just listened to Ginny and Dean talk. He was just finishing up his remaining Cauldron Cake when Cho made an appearance at the door to the compartment. She slid the door open and crossed to sit beside Harry. He just gulped when she slid across the bench closer to him.

"Hi, Harry. How are you?" Cho said, tilting her head to look at him. He watched her hair flow over her right shoulder to land on her… His eyes shot up to her face before darting to look at the other couple across the compartment. He licked his lips and realized just how dry his mouth was. Pulling his pumpkin juice to his mouth, he continued to watch Dean and Ginny as they whispered back and forth to one another. His eyes narrowed as he saw Ginny pat Dean on the leg. Amazing how it felt like she was patting him on his knee. Just after sipping his pumpkin juice, his eyes widened at the feel of two fingers walking their way up his leg towards his groin area. Before he could even register what was happening, the juice in his mouth was sprayed all over Ginny, who had been sitting in front of him. All the blood rushed to his cheeks as he contemplated the situation he had now placed himself.

He reached down and plucked Cho's shaking hand off his upper thigh. Flicking her hand away from him, he looked across at Ginny, who was wiping her face with Dean's handkerchief. Darn, that slimy git was helping her. He wanted to be the one to help her, but first, he needed to deal with Cho.

"Cho… um… What was that?" Harry asked quietly. Before she could answer, Ginny and Dean got up to leave the compartment. "Ginny… Ginny.. I'm so…" Harry stammered. Ginny refused to look at him and swept out of the compartment with Dean trailing behind her. Harry sighed.

Cho ducked her head and looked out into the corridor. In a small voice, she said, "I'm sorry, Harry. I was dared to come in here and do that. I should have never accepted the dare. I'll just go."

"Are you sure that you shouldn't be in Gryffindor? That took a lot of courage," Harry said. Cho paused at the door, looking back in at him.

"No, I'm definitely supposed to be in Ravenclaw. I don't normally do things like this and frankly, it terrified me."

"Then why would you do it?" Harry asked, puzzled.

She paused before stammering out "To see what you would do. How you would respond." She shrugged. "I guess, mostly to see if there could be anything between us." At that, she blushed and ducked out of the compartment before Harry could even think to formulate an answer to that one. Simply stunned, he continued to sit in the compartment staring out the window until everyone came back.

HPGWHPGWHPGWHPGWHPGW

Ginny paused at the doorway to a compartment. Seeing no one inside, she opened the door and hurried in, still being followed by Dean. Thanking Merlin that no one had seen the state of her, most especially the twins, she started assessing the damage that Harry inflicted. The hair around her face was sticking to her cheeks, which were still covered in pumpkin juice. She wondered if Hermione could help her with it since there was really no place that she could wash it on the train. Her shirt had a round wet spot that could possibly be mistaken for a target, she supposed. But the most disgusting to her was the sleeves that were dripping. She hated having wet clothing around her arms.

She paused a moment to admire exactly how much capacity Harry's mouth had. Scowling, she had thought she wanted to share Harry's saliva, but this just wasn't how she had planned to do it.

"Let me help you get cleaned up, Ginny," Dean pleaded. His hands floated around her, as if trying to figure out where to alight without getting in trouble.

"No, that's okay, Dean. You can go find Seamus. I'm sure you'll want to talk to him some more about football or something," Ginny responded, trying to get him out of the compartment so she could get started on cleaning her shirt.

"No, really, Ginny. I want to help. Let me please. I don't want you to think all guys are as uncouth as Harry just was." Ginny paused her hands that were working on slowly separating the cloth of her sleeves away from her arms to look at the boy in front of her. His dark brown eyes seemed to be pleading with her as much as his voice was. He wasn't even remotely laughing at her or her situation, like her brothers would be, rendering him an enigma to her.

"Okay. Could you go find Hermione, please? I need her help with my hair," Ginny requested, working on her sleeves again.

"Are you sure you don't want to start with your shirt first? I mean, being that wet has got to be uncomfortable."

"And just how do you propose to help me, _Mr_. Thomas? What do you think my brothers would do if you helped me clean my shirt?" Ginny asked waspishly, puzzled as to how he would actually help. After all, she planned on asking Hermione to simply bring her another shirt.

"Well, I thought I could perform a drying spell for you," he grinned at her.

"Oh." Ginny hadn't thought of that one. She scrunched up her forehead. "You know how to do that spell already?"

"I'm fairly certain that I can handle it." Seeing the confidence in his manner, Ginny stepped back and nodded. Dean pulled his wand from his pocket before waving it in a downward motion and proclaiming "_Siccus Ventus_". Immediately, a cold drying wind swept over Ginny.

Hermione came through the door in a flurry. "Ginny? Dean, why do you have your wand on Ginny?" Then looking at Ginny again, she asked, "Did Dean do this to you?"

Ginny stopped once more to assess the damage. Her hair was plastered in chunks to her face, albeit it was now dry. Looking down at her shirt, she saw that what was once a nice light green top now had orange stains all over it from the pulp of the juice. Seeing her friend slowly edging her wand out of her pocket, Ginny sighed.

"No, Hermione. Dean didn't really do _all_ of this." Ginny stopped to glare at Dean. He looked extremely apologetic. She sighed before turning back to Hermione. "He was just trying to help," Ginny said, trying to appease her friend while puzzling over her shirt sleeves.

"Well, then, who did do this to you, Ginny?" Hermione said as Ginny tried to figure out if there was a way to clean the orange stains while the shirt was still on her body.

"Your prat of a best friend spit pumpkin juice all over me." Ginny pointed her wand at the stain on her left sleeve and watched as her spell simply turned her whole sleeve orange. She frowned.

"Ron? Why would Ron--?"

"Your other best friend." Ginny glanced at Hermione as she cut her words off. Hermione's eyes went wide as her mouth dropped. Ginny didn't think she had ever seen Hermione speechless before. She lightly snorted before going back to work on her problem. Deciding that this shirt was just totally destroyed, she considered asking Hermione to conjure her a new one. However, Dean spoke up.

"Ginny. I'm sorry that the drying spell didn't work. How about I conjure you a new shirt? Then I'll leave so you can change into it, okay?" Seeing her nod, he waved his wand. A long sleeve green shirt appeared in front of her. Seeing it, Dean left the compartment so she could change.

"Um, Ginny. You do realize that the shirt won't stay around, right? Conjured things only last so long, depending upon the power put in the spell," Hermione lectured.

"Hermione, could you go and get me another shirt? I'm going to use this one Dean conjured until you get back. I'm sure it will last that long, at least."

As soon as Hermione left, Ginny really looked at the shirt Dean had conjured. One sleeve looked a little shorter than the other, but really this was advanced magic. Ginny tried to pull off the stained shirt, but the sleeves were stuck to her arms. Running her hands inside the sleeves to separate them from her body, she yelped in pain as it pulled some of the fine hairs on her arms. Really, it felt just like pulling a bandage off. She hesitated, trying to prepare herself for the pain that she knew was coming. Deciding to be brave, she stuck both hands under the hem of her shirt and yanked. She screamed loud enough that Dean rushed into the compartment, wand drawn. Ginny yanked her shirt back down to cover herself.

"Dean! Get out of here!" Ginny shrieked at him, turning her back toward him. She looked over her shoulder to see Dean, covering his eyes with his non-wand hand. "Dean! Get out!"

"You screamed. Are you okay?" Dean questioned, sounding flustered.

"Gee, Dean. Somehow my shirt got stuck to my skin, enough so that in order to get my shirt off, I have to pull it off like pulling off a bandage. Do you think that might be why I screamed? Now, do you mind? Leave!" Ginny hissed.

Hearing the door slide close, she raised the shirt again to pull over her head, only to have it stop where her hair was stuck to her cheeks. "Darn it! Darn Harry Potter! Darn Dean Thomas! Darn all boys! They're nothing but jerks anyway." Tears welling in her eyes, Ginny tucked the ends of her hair into the collar of her shirt before pulling the neck of the shirt up and over her head. Quickly pulling the shirt Dean had conjured on her, she kept pulling at the hem as it didn't quite come down as far as she was comfortable with. Looking at it once more, she thought it might really be two sizes too small as it was extraordinarily tight throughout the bust and shoulders. Hermione really needed to hurry up with the other shirt before this one disappeared.

A knock sounded at the door. Ginny pulled on a robe that was in the compartment that seemed to swallow her whole. Dean stuck his head in with a hand over his eyes. "Can I come in and try to help with your hair?"

"Sure" Ginny said, thinking that her hair couldn't get worse.

HPGWHPGWHPGWHPGWHPGW

Feeling an urgent need to escape the confines of the compartment with Ron still fuming and crushing Cauldron Cakes over Malfoy's latest visit, Harry slipped out of the door. He paused for a moment to look at the scenery rushing past the corridor window. They must be getting close to Scotland, judging by the landscape. Hearing others coming down the corridor, he decided to head toward the loo.

His eyes glanced through the compartment windows scanning before jumping ahead to the next one. Harry came to a complete stop as he realized what his eyes had just seen. He backpedalled to look once more. Yep, Dean Thomas had his hand in Ginny's hair. _What is his hand doing in her hair? Why is he leaning toward her? Don't kiss Ginny, don't kiss Ginny. _Dean was going to kiss Ginny! _This can't be happening._

He stumbled forward a few paces. It seemed like Norbert, Hagrid's baby dragon had taken over his insides. He struggled not to take out his wand and go curse Dean right then and there. Harry leaned against the outside window, feeling the cool glass against his forehead. Taking a couple of deep cleansing breaths, he reminded himself that Ginny was not his to monopolize, but he could change that. If it was a competition for Ginny Dean wanted, well, a competition he would get! He resolutely marched back to the compartment to begin planning.


	7. Return

A/N: The bold sections come from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, p. 189. Many thanks to my beta, Jonelle, as she helped me through the scenes. :) It looks like there will still be two more chapters left. But it will be coming to an end soon.

Chapter Seven-- Return

September 1, 1994--Hogwarts Express

Dean Thomas reached forward to run his fingers through Ginny's hair after casting a spell on it to untangle it.

"Dean, how did you know how to do this spell? I mean, I don't even know this one," Ginny said. She watched as Dean looked around the compartment before he whispered to her.

"I'm going to tell you a secret that no one else knows, not even Seamus. The first time I got out of my shower at Hogwarts, I dried my hair using magic. I couldn't get it untangled. So I went to Professor Flitwick to help me learn how to do this spell. Sometimes even now when I get out of the shower, my hair is so tangled. But please don't tell anyone."

"I won't. Thanks, Dean," Ginny responded, unable to believe that Dean had really trusted her with a secret that no one else knew. She calmly sat as Dean straightened out all of her hair. Brushing her hands through it, she flipped it back and forth across her shoulders, shaking it out. Her hair flew into her eye, making it water something fierce. Dean put his hand into her hair to pull it back from her face while leaning in to make sure that nothing was actually in her eye.

"I see nothing in it. Are you okay?" Dean asked very solicitously.

"I'm fine. Thanks. Where is that Hermione? I need that top," Ginny wondered. In her frustration, she failed to see Dean's face go from a look of hurt to one of annoyance.

"Was the top I conjured for you not good enough?" Dean almost spat at her. Ginny looked up in wonderment. She was totally aghast at his reaction.

"Dean, that's not it. Well, I mean…" she stopped to bite her lip as she tried to figure out how to explain while not upsetting him further. "It's just a little snug. Plus, conjured clothes don't last long. So I prefer to wear one of my own tops." She grimaced slightly as he stormed out of the compartment, calling over his shoulder that he would find Hermione for her. Dean reminded Ginny of her brother Percy, who hated to be reminded of any spellwork that wasn't considered perfect. Sighing, she leaned back in the seat to wait on Hermione.

HPGWHPGWHPGWHPGWHPGW

Great Hall, Hogwarts

To say that Ginny Weasley was shocked was an understatement. Harry had not only come over and apologized profusely for spitting on her, but he had then proceeded to sit beside her for the start-of-term feast. She had gotten to experience what a true conversation with Harry, Hermione and Ron was like during the Sorting. Ron and Hermione quibbled with one another like normal, but Harry was very attentive to her and what she thought about the new students. This new attention, of course, meant that she was totally self-conscious during the feast itself. What would happen if Harry saw her dribble food down her front? Of course, in her nervousness, she ended up spilling her juice all over his plate. But then he just laughed it off saying it was only fair since he had done much worse to her earlier.

Yet, the real shock came when Professor Dumbledore had mentioned about Hogsmeade being out-of-bounds to all below third year. Harry had simply turned to look at her and grin. She couldn't help but grin back at him. Ginny didn't think she had ever seen that particular look on Harry's face before and couldn't help but wonder what he was up to.

She forced herself to pay attention to Professor Dumbledore's announcement about the Tri-Wizard tournament, but found that he was ending with his **"Bedtime! Chop chop!"** Harry had risen already before offering his hand to help her up. She just looked at him with a question in her eyes, which he refused to answer. Ginny dropped his hand once she was standing. Walking beside Harry as they travelled back to the Tower with Ron, Hermione, Fred and George, she listened to the conversation between them until Ron had the audacity to say it would be cool to enter.

She couldn't believe her ears. How could he even think that putting one's life at risk would be cool? Didn't he learn from her mistake?

Ginny didn't hear any more of the conversation as she halted in the middle of the second floor corridor. Memories of the horrors she faced in the Chamber played in her head like the World Cup match through Harry's Omniculars. Sliding down to her knees, she clutched at her head as the memories sent terror through her at her comprehension of the danger Harry had faced. She had known how dangerous and cruel Tom could be, but reliving now what Harry had done and gone through was showing her a whole new level to Tom's brutality. Tears welled up in her eyes and threatened to spill down her cheeks. She was totally caught up in her own world of memories.

HPGWHPGWHPGWHPGWHPGW

Second Floor Corridor, Hogwarts

Harry was having a hard time concentrating on the conversation flowing between those walking back to the Tower. At first, it was because he really wanted to grab Ginny's hand and just hold it. Now, however, he was daydreaming of winning the tournament and Ginny kissing him after his victory. It was until the kiss ended in his daydream that he realised that Ginny was no longer beside him.

Stopping short, he turned around only to see her rocking back and forth on her knees in front of where he had first discovered the writing on the wall during his second year. "Oh no," he remarked. He pushed the devastating memories that the sight of her in that particular spot brought up to the back of his mind before rushing to Ginny's side. Glancing up, he saw the others had already turned the corner so no help would be coming from that quarter. "Ginny. I need your help. I can't carry you up the stairs. Please help me. Talk to me."

After getting no response from his quiet pleas for her to talk to him, he gently placed her arm around his shoulders and helped her stand back up. Supporting most of her weight, Harry started to weave his way up toward the Tower. Once he almost ran into a suit of armour as he was focused on trying to get Ginny to snap out of the trance or whatever it could be called that she was in. Her eyes, which he noticed for the first time since their Chamber experience were brown rather than blue like Ron's, stared out unseeingly over the scene in front of her as tears silently slid down her cheeks. Not knowing how to comfort her, he settled for a small pat on her shoulder as he navigated a turn on the stairs. Harry narrowly avoided disaster a short time later on a staircase that decided to move when they were halfway up it. Luckily he was within arm's reach of the railing or he and Ginny would have had bruises that would have been hard to explain.

Harry just thanked Merlin that Ginny was moving her feet by herself. Otherwise, they would have been hard pressed to make it in time for curfew. They would be cutting it close as it was. By the time they reached the Fat Lady's portrait, Harry's shoulder and arm muscles were trembling from the effort he had put into maintaining their balance. He wanted to swear when he realized that he had no clue what the password was. So when the portrait swung forward, he let out a very audible groan of relief.

George's eyes widened when he saw his little sister. Bounding forward, he scooped her up into his arms before Harry could move. Following the older boy through the portrait hole, he just wanted to find somewhere he could just collapse. George laid Ginny on the couch in front of the fire before turning to Harry and giving him a disapproving glare.

"What in Merlin's name did you do to her, Harry?" George demanded.

Giving a huge sigh as he sank into an armchair close to Ginny, Harry responded completely winded from his trip up the stairs. "I didn't do anything, George. She collapsed in the second floor corridor." Looking over at Ginny, he noticed that her eyes were now closed with her chest rising and falling gently. "You know right in front of a certain bathroom. I'm not sure what brought it on. I just know that she was on the ground rocking when I looked to find her. All of you had already gotten too far ahead to help when I discovered that she would need some help to make it up here." Harry leaned his head back against the chair and closed his eyes before continuing. "So I just helped her up and walked her here. Thanks for coming out when you did. I didn't know the password. Plus, I don't think I could have held her much longer. I was scared that I was going to drop her." Harry's breathing evened out as he slid into sleep.

HPGWHPGWHPGWHPGWHPGW

Disoriented, Ginny opened her eyes. Without moving her head, her eyes swept her surrounding area. Cold air seeped in around the edges of a blanket that was covering her. _Where had that come from?_ The recollection of the cold that permeated the Chamber had her scrambling to sit up. Wrapping the blanket around her more securely, she huddled under it trying to see the room through the very dim light, which seemed to be coming from a fireplace. Things were slowly coming into focus as she made out the distinct outlines of armchairs and tables by the soft firelight. She let out her breath, which she had been holding in a rush.

A rustle in the chair to her left startled her. When she looked over, she saw the outline of someone whose head was thrown back against the chair. Sliding her wand out of her pocket, she sent a spell to stir the fire up to break the chill in the air. Using the increase in light from the fire, Ginny leaned part way of the couch to see who was in the chair beside her. Her eyes took in the unruly hair, glasses and wiry form that were clearly recognizable as Harry's. She slid off the couch in shock. The thud of her body hitting the floor resounded through the common room.

Harry shot up and out of the chair so fast that Ginny blinked and missed his movement. He looked around the room as if looking for an intruder. Ginny decided that she should probably let him know that she was there.

"Harry?" Ginny asked quietly.

"Ginny?" Harry responded, to her shock. How did he know it was her? It wasn't as if he could see her that well on the floor since she was hidden by the shadows of the armchairs. "Ginny, where are you?"

"I'm here." She stood up and looked around. Wanting to avoid the obvious questions, she decided to ask a rather inane question. "What time do you think it is?" she asked, motioning to the emptiness of the room. Ginny was rather nervous about talking with Harry, especially now that her memories had returned from the Chamber.

Looking down at his watch, Harry replied, "About two." He hesitated before continuing, "How are you? I mean, you were rather out of it earlier when we came up here."

She didn't know how to answer him and Harry didn't seem to understand that. "Ginny, you know that you can talk to me about anything, right?" His forehead scrunched up in that rather cute and endearing way he had when he was really earnest about something. How was she supposed to explain to her hero, no less, how completely helpless and utterly violated she had felt during her first year? After all, it's not like they talked about things like this.

Her silence seemed to unnerve Harry as he shifted from foot to foot before deciding to sit back in the armchair. Still, his body was perched on the edge as if ready for flight at a moment's notice. Ginny herself sat back on the couch, playing with her nails as she tried to formulate a response.

"How did I get up here?" Ginny wondered aloud. "The last thing I remember happening was Ron saying how cool it would be to participate in the tournament." She paused. "After that, I was in…" She got lost for a moment in the memories that had resurfaced, the feelings of being powerless and weak overtaking her.

"Where were you, Ginny?" Harry asked softly as he crossed to sit beside her on the couch.

She looked down at her hands in her lap as she whispered, "the Chamber." Ginny refused to look at Harry as her hands refused to be still. Harry reached over and grabbed one of her hands, pulling it to his leg.

"Will you tell me what you remember?" Harry requested gently.

"I'm scared to. I don't want to remember it, Harry. Can the memories just go away again?" Ginny felt tears welling in her eyes, but she was helpless to stop them.

"What do you mean go away again?" Harry sounded abrupt and confused.

She pulled her hand from his grasp. Tucking her legs to her chest and wrapping her arms around them, she huddled in the corner of the couch trying to make herself as small as possible. Her voice was also small and shaky. "After the incident in the Chamber, I… well, Madam Pomfrey said that my mind was protecting me from the memories of what happened. I remembered going to my room after breakfast and then it was fuzzy until we showed up in Professor McGonagall's office. Now I remember everything." Her voice caught on the last word as she tried to stifle a sob.

"Was it because of where we were?" Harry wondered aloud.

"Where were we? I don't even know." She shook her head. "No, I think it was the conversation." She replayed what she remembered of the conversation in her head. "I think it was Ron's comment about how cool it would be to be in the tournament."

"What, you don't think it would be great to win it and gain the fame and fortune from winning?" Harry asked.

"No, I don't," Ginny said curtly, before adding softly, "Who knows what bad things would happen?"

"What do you mean, Ginny?"

She stood up to pace. "Let's think about things that have brought fame, shall we? Professor Dumbledore is famous. Why? For defeating Grindelwald, mostly. But at what cost to him? We don't know what exactly happened. You're famous. Why? For defeating You-Know-Who. At what cost? Your parents. You-Know-Who is famous. Why? Because he caused strife. The Death Eaters are famous. Why? For terrorizing innocents. So what's the connection here? Fame always comes with bad situations. Why would this tournament be any different? Think about it. Why did they stop holding it? According to Hermione, people actually _died_."

"It sounds like you've thought about this a lot."

Ginny dropped back down on the couch and put her head in her hands. "I have. Tom …" She shuddered. "He promised me fame and fortune, just like the tournament. I thought it sounded perfect as then I wouldn't be this little girl who just had a..." She cut off and blushed. Ginny hoped that Harry wouldn't be able to see her cheeks as they felt like they were on fire. She couldn't believe she was about to admit that she wanted the fame and fortune so that she could be more like him and feel worthy of him. Searching frantically for something to talk about that would take the focus off her, she asked, "What about you? Would you enter the tournament?"

"Um," Harry scratched his head. "I thought about it. This way I would be able to say that the fame came from my own accomplishment, but I can kind of see your point."

"Harry, you have fame because of your own accomplishments. Your first year, facing You-Know-Who. My first year, killing the basilisk and rescuing me. Aren't those accomplishments enough?" Ginny questioned through her hands as she glanced over at him.

"But Ginny, I'm only known for the scar on my forehead. Not many know about my first year or what happened in the Chamber," Harry shrugged. "I'll always be known as the Boy-Who-Lived."

"Better the Boy-Who-Lived than the Girl-Who-Petrified-Most-the-School," Ginny retorted as she leaned to put her head on the arm of the couch on which they were sitting.

"Ginny, that wasn't your fault." Harry started to continue, but Ginny cut across his words.

"Then whose was it? It was my body that did the magic and called the Basilisk. I'm the stupid one who wrote in that horrible diary." She watched the flames in the fireplace create various pictures. "Whose fault would it have been if Penelope or Hermione died? Mine. No one held a wand on me to do those things," Ginny cried. "Besides, you were able to defeat it," she said in a flat, bitter tone.

"I hadn't written in it for months. It didn't have the hold on me that it did on you," Harry explained plaintively.

"Yes, but you did write in it. It didn't take you over. You weren't the one out there directing the Basilisk." She still refused to look at him.

"True, but really neither were you. Tell me, Ginny, can you speak Parseltongue?"

"No, but I was the one directing the Basilisk," she started to argue until Harry grabbed her hand again, forcing her to look at him silently.

"Ginny, if you can't speak Parseltongue, then you weren't the one who was controlling the Basilisk. Yes, it might have been your voice that was used, but it wasn't your mind. It wasn't your beliefs or your knowledge. Would you have done those things on your own? Could you have done those things on your own?"

"Well, no. But still I am responsible for my actions of writing in that diary," Ginny vented at him, frustrated.

"You're right. You are responsible. Yet, you were only eleven. You made a mistake. Should Ron beat himself up over making the mistake of thinking that Crookshanks had killed Scabbers? Should Hagrid blame himself for trying to raise a dragon? Should I blame myself for blowing up my Aunt Marge?" Harry added.

"But Harry, none of those caused people to get hurt," Ginny tried to argue.

"My Aunt Marge was hurt and had to be Obliviated. I went on the run as a result and could have been hurt. Hagrid told information he shouldn't have in order to get that dragon egg, which caused some injuries. Ron hurt Hermione when he blamed her cat. So you made a mistake. The question is would you make the same one again?" Harry took a long look at her.

"No, I wouldn't make the same one again. I think that's what set my memories off. I don't want Ron or anyone else I care about making that mistake. I can't stand to see anyone that I care about in danger, Harry. Will you promise me something?" Ginny said, biting her lower lip.

"If I can, absolutely." Harry nodded.

"Promise me you won't enter the tournament, that you won't even try. I know you would never go back on a promise."

"That's a promise I can make. I promise you, Ginny, I won't try to enter the tournament," Harry swore to her before they decided that sleep was needed.


	8. Really

A/N: The bold sections on September 5 come from _Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire_, p. 219. The bold quote from October 31 comes from p.271 and 272 of _Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire_. Only one more chapter! :) Many thanks to my beta Jonelle! :)

Chapter Eight--Re-ally

September 5, 1994-- Hogwarts

"**Some lesson, though, eh?" said Ron to Harry as they set off for the Great Hall. "Fred and George were right, weren't they? He really knows his stuff, Moody, doesn't he? When he did **_**Avada Kedavra**_**, the way that spider just **_**died**_**, just snuffed it right—"**

**But Ron fell suddenly silent at the look on Harry's face and didn't speak again until they reached the Great Hall. **As Harry had at every meal since they arrived at Hogwarts, Harry crossed to sit beside Ginny. Ron couldn't believe they were sitting with her again.

"Harry, don't you want to sit by Fred and George? That way we can find out if there are any new Moody stories," Ron prodded Harry.

"Ron, we just came from Moody's class, remember? Besides, I wanted to talk to Ginny," Harry retorted. He turned to start a conversation with Ginny.

"You always want to talk to Ginny," Ron muttered. Hermione glanced up from her furious eating at him before looking at Harry and Ginny on the other side of the table.

"Ron, you need to understand. They have a bond in a way no one else has—their shared experience of the Chamber," Hermione explained.

"Yeah, well, we have the shared experience of the troll, of the tasks guarding the Stone, of the Forbidden Forest, of the Shrieking Shack. Yet, we get shunted aside like a Bludger so he can talk to my baby sister," Ron said cuttingly in a low voice.

"Ronald Weasley!" Hermione hissed. "We haven't gotten shunted aside as you put it. Who does Harry attend classes with? Who still sits with him at meals? Us!" She looked askance at him for a long moment before exclaiming, "You're jealous! I can't believe you're jealous."

"I am not," Ron denied vehemently.

"You're not jealous just like I'm not going to the library," Hermione said smugly as she finished her food and grabbed her bag to leave. "Well, I'm off to the library," she said to the group before smirking at Ron.

"Bye, Hermione. See you later in the common room?" Harry asked of his friend, pausing his discussion with Ginny to say goodbye to her. After her departure, Harry and Ginny included Ron in their discussion, completely unaware of the jealousy burning in him.

October 31, 1994-- Great Hall

Ginny had an uneasy feeling sweep over her as she crossed the threshold of the Great Hall, heading for the Gryffindor table. She glanced down its length, but saw that Harry wasn't there yet. Finding a seat, she decided to use this time to figure out what was causing her discomfit. Scanning the room, her eyes came to rest on the Goblet of Fire. Her mouth thinned as she recalled Fred and George's attempt to put their names in there. She was extremely glad that Bill and Charlie were out of school and therefore disqualified from competing. At least this meant no one she cared about would be in danger.

Looking back at the table, Ginny saw that Harry and Ron had sat down across from her during her musings. Chatting, their casual tone was belied by their tense body language as they waited impatiently to find out who the Champions would be.

When Dumbledore extinguished all the lights, Ginny became very apprehensive. She tried to reassure herself by repeating that no one she really considered family could participate. However, her apprehension continued and only intensified when the Goblet glowed red for the fourth time.

"**Harry Potter."**

Ginny turned to look at Harry. His face was frozen in shock. That look combined with his promise to her not to try to enter told her that she had had every reason to worry. Because if Harry hadn't put his name in--which she was sure he didn't--then someone else had. But who?

She tried to smile at him when he looked over and said **"I didn't put my name in. You know I didn't." **A feeling of dread swept over her as Hermione pushed at Harry to follow Dumbledore's direction. She watched as Harry stumbled on his way to the front of the room. He looked like he was marching to Tower Hill for hanging. Surely they wouldn't let him compete. He was too young and didn't know enough spells. Yes, admittedly, he had faced insurmountable odds before and come out on top, but could he be expected to do it again? She crossed her arms on the table and let her head sink onto her arms. They just couldn't let him compete.

Across the table, she listened as Ron said, "Of course he gets his name in. Did he bloody tell his supposed best mate how to do it? No, of course not. Because gee, that would be telling."

She didn't hear Hermione's response to Ron. Unwilling to listen to any more of Ron's rant with thoughts of Harry facing unspeakable danger running through her mind, Ginny left to return to the common room. As she ensconced herself on a window seat which allowed her to see the room with an unobstructed view, she contemplated what the scene would be like in the common room once the rest of the Gryffindors came back. Would it be total chaos as a party ensued, like she imagined or would they be more subdued, understanding that Harry shouldn't be competing and would likely not be in the mood to celebrate?

The portrait hole opened and students milled excitedly into the room. Ginny watched as Fred and George brought food through and set it up on one of the tables. Everyone else seemed to be trying to figure out ways that they could demonstrate their pride that a Gryffindor was representing Hogwarts. Colin was taking pictures of everyone and everything in sight while others were set on creating a mess of the common room.

Only because she was watching for them did Ginny see Ron and Hermione slip in. Neither one was in the celebratory mood that the rest of the Gryffindors seemed to be in. Ron was bright red and obviously furious. Hermione looked to be trying to calm him down to no avail. He brushed her hand off his arm and stormed off up the boys' staircase. Ginny watched Hermione sigh as she turned and headed up the girls'.

A few moments later, a loud cry swept over the room as Harry stumbled in through the portrait hole. Every Gryffindor in the room, other than her, tried to shake his hand or pat him on the back. Everyone was thrusting food at him and no one took any notice of the trapped look on his face. Ginny wished she had the gumption to stand up and announce that every one should go to bed, but she was only a third-year. Who would listen to her? Still, she wanted to help Harry out somehow.

After about a half an hour of letting everyone give their well wishes, she made her way to Harry, who was sitting in an armchair in front of the fire, an untouched plate of food resting on his knee. Leaning down to whisper in his ear, Ginny said, "I think Ron is upstairs in your dorm. You might want to go talk to him. But be aware he's not too thrilled."

Harry glanced over his shoulder at her face, his eyes searching it suspiciously. Apparently, deciding that she wasn't kidding, he nodded curtly before excusing himself to ascend the stairs. Ginny watched as Harry trudged his way up, knowing that he would have no relief from the stress once he reached his room. She herself ascended her staircase and prepared herself for bed. Hearing the noise level outside taper off, she assumed everyone was headed to bed.

Laying her dressing gown down at the foot of her bed, she crawled into the covers flicking her curtains closed. She fell asleep quickly, wanting to escape the stress of the day, unaware that it would be following her into her dreams.

HPGWHPGWHPGWHPGWHPGW

Fourth Year Gryffindor Boys' Dormitory

Harry tossed and turned for over two hours after Ron had yanked his curtains closed, cutting off all conversation with Harry. Giving up on going to sleep any time soon, Harry grabbed his dressing gown off the hook at the end of his bed. Not that he was especially worried about running into anyone in the common room, but as he only wore pyjama bottoms to bed, he figured it might be cold, at least until he got the fire started. Harry picked his wand up off the table beside his bed and whispering "_Lumos_", lit his wand so he could make his way down the stairs.

Starting a fire, he settled down in a chair facing it to contemplate what happened earlier that night. His name had been pulled from the Goblet when he hadn't put it in there. So who could have? Moody said it must have been a full wizard or witch since they would have had to put a Confundus Charm on the Goblet.

A noise coming from the staircase startled Harry out of his reverie. Turning to find the source of the noise, he saw a silhouette coming down the stair. His heart pounded harder in his chest as he saw the telltale red glints of the girl's bed-rumpled hair in the firelight. He watched as Ginny stumbled off the bottom stair before crossing to slump down into the corner of one of the couches facing the opposite way from where he sat. Her shoulders shook slightly as he heard her take several deep breaths. Wondering how to alert her to his presence, he cleared his throat. Her head shot up and looked around. He saw how her body seemed to sag in relief once she recognized him. He stood up to cross to the couch that she was sitting on.

"Hey. Are you okay?" he asked, worried now that he could see there were tears swimming in her eyes. He sat down within arm's reach of her, not wanting to scare her by crowding her, but wanting to be close enough to help if he could.

She shook her head. "It's nothing. I just had a nightmare. That's all. I knew that I wouldn't be able to get back to sleep right away, so I came down here." She had folded her arms around her body.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Harry asked her. She looked at him and shot him a lopsided grin. He was amazed to see a dimple flash in her right cheek.

"No. There really isn't anything you can do to help. Wait. Can you tell me… are they allowing you to compete in the tournament?" Ginny asked hesitantly.

"Apparently having your name in the Goblet of Fire is a magical contract. I can't get out of it," Harry responded with a shrug.

Ginny shot up off the couch to pace back and forth in front of the couch, outraged. "What? They're going to let you compete? Even though you didn't put your own name in? Don't they understand that someone is trying to kill you?" Harry marvelled at the intensity of her voice as she continued to call the adults in charge various names. His attention shifted from listening to her words to watching her body as her eyes blazed with a fire that warmed his very soul. She believed that he didn't put his name in. He didn't even have to say anything to her, denying the act that most everyone had already determined that he did. She simply believed that he would not have put his name in.

"Ginny," he interrupted her quiet rant. "Why don't you believe like everyone else? How is it that you know that I didn't put my own name in? After all," he gave a harsh laugh, "my best mate, your own brother, thinks I did."

Ginny dropped to the couch beside him and grabbed his hand. "Harry, you promised me you wouldn't." Her deep brown eyes sparkled as she smiled at him. "You keep your promises. Plus, you were too stunned when your name came out to even think you had thought it was a possibility."

"Wow. I don't think I've ever had anyone believe in me so unflaggingly. Thank you… for believing me and for knowing that I wouldn't have broken my promise to you," Harry whispered to her, squeezing her hand.

"Yes, well, I know you whether you believe it or not, Mr. Potter. Promises made are promises kept," she smiled at him before letting out a huge yawn quickly followed by an enticing blush. Her casual remark brought the promise that Harry had made in the Chamber back to the forefront of his mind. Determined that he would dig into his well of Gryffindor courage, he decided to ask her to Hogsmeade right then. Why was it that he could face down dementors and even throw off the Imperius curse, but was incredibly frightened at the mere chance that Ginny Weasley might say no?

"Ginny, the Saturday before the first task… Well, it's a Hogsmeade weekend. I was wondering, if you might, I mean, if you would like," Harry bumbled along, finally heaving a huge breath before finishing it. "Would you go with me?" He kept his eyes on his hand still holding hers, afraid to look and see what emotion would be displayed in her eyes. Would it be pity or sympathy? He didn't think he could handle either one of those. In his musings, he almost missed her answer.

"Of course, I will go with you, Harry. I thought you'd never ask," she said very sheepishly before covering her mouth with her hand to hide yet another yawn.

He looked up at her, amazed that she had said yes. "You will? Wonderful. I have loads of places to take you to see. It will be a wonderful day. You'll see."

"Harry, a day with you can't be anything other than wonderful. Wait. What do you mean you have loads of places to take me?" She tilted her head to look at him, eyes narrowed. "You weren't allowed to go last year."

He scrambled to think of a way to cover himself, but nothing came to mind. "Okay, I'll explain how I visited Hogsmeade another time. Now I think it's time for us to go to bed. I've seen you yawning. Do you think you'll be able to sleep now, Ginny?"

She grinned at him. "I don't see how I can have anything but good dreams now." Quickly, she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek before standing up and hurrying up the stairs. "Night," she called quietly over her shoulder.

Harry put a hand to his cheek where she had kissed him. It definitely looked as if good dreams were in order.


	9. Relentless

A/N: A pretty long chapter. But not the final one. I know I said it would be, but Harry just wouldn't let me stop... Many thanks to Jonelle, my beta for being the awesome one she is.

Chapter Nine—Relentless

November 14, 1994--Great Hall

Harry is constantly seen in the presence of two Gryffindor girls, one Hermione Granger and one Ginny Weasley, according to his close friend Jimmy Peakes. Is Harry playing the affections of the two girls off one another? Ginny is known around the castle as a feisty pureblood, who knows how to stand her ground. The Muggle-born top student, Hermione is stunning and smart. Which one will capture the heart of the Gryffindor champion?

Ron crumpled _The Daily Prophet_ in his hands, not wanting to see the article flaunting Harry's status as a Hogwarts champion any longer. Looking up and down the Gryffindor table, he only saw a few sixth and seventh year students scattered. Ron rose to his feet to head back to the common room, lost in his thoughts. _It simply wasn't fair. Harry had everything already: fame, fortune, a wealthy godfather, a fabulous broom. Now he was a Hogwarts champion and there was no doubt that he would win the thousand galleon prize. But he had Hermione, too? And where did that leave Ginny? _Forcing his thoughts away from the girls, he resumed thinking about his former best mate. _It was bad enough when I just had to live up to Bill, Charlie, Percy and the twins. Now I have to try to be as good as Harry, who defeated You-Know-Who as a baby. How can I ever compete with him? Unfair was an understatement. What only made it worse is that Harry still refuses to tell me how he put his name in the Goblet._

Feeling morose and lonely, he mumbled the password to the portrait and crawled into the common room. He went to his dorm room, hoping to find Seamus or Dean. No one was in the room. Heading back down, he wondered if he could convince anyone to play chess with him. Biting the inside of his right lip, he thought about the fact that under normal circumstances, he and Harry would be the ones playing. A sigh escaped him as he recalled how circumstances had changed.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, he took the time to look around to see who was there. A group of first-years were huddled around what looked like a broom catalogue, whispering and pointing. A smattering of fifth and seventh years were studying at the various tables strewn throughout the room. Fred and George were whispering and penning something in one of the window seats.

Over by the fire were Hermione, Harry and Ginny. Hermione, with her bushy brown hair pulled back into a low ponytail, was in the armchair, reading a book. Her profile was mesmerizing to him as if he was a moth staring at a flame. He watched as her lips silently formed the words of what she was reading. _It must be a particularly difficult piece for her to understand if she's resorted to that._ Ron smiled at the dedication of his friend to learning everything she could.

Forcing himself to look away as Hermione wasn't really speaking to him at the moment, he studied the two sitting on the couch together. Stunned, he observed Harry's fingers tracing the outline of Ginny's hand absent-mindedly as they talked with Hermione occasionally adding something to their conversation. _Were they getting closer?_ Going to sit at a table near them, which had a wizard's chess set already ready to play, Ron began to play himself while he listened to Hermione, Harry and Ginny's chatter.

"What will Rita write when she sees the two of you together at Hogsmeade? You know she'll be there," Hermione said.

"Who cares what she writes? She's just an old cow. Hmm. Maybe I could get something from the twins to help her show who or what she really is," Ginny responded. Harry lifted his head and turned to Ginny. Ron couldn't see the look that Harry gave her.

Harry's voice was fainter as his head was turned further away from Ron, but Ron still heard him say, "Ginny, do you think that's wise? After all, she never prints the truth. If we make her mad, she's more likely to say something horrible about you? I wouldn't want to be the one responsible for that." Ron wanted to yell in response "And you would be the one responsible, too", but he kept quiet to hear more.

"I'm not letting her ruin my first Hogsmeade visit. Besides, I'll be with you, Harry. You aren't backing out on our date, are you?" Ginny retorted with narrowed eyes and a pout on her face. Ron knew from past experience with that look, it meant you better give in now. _Wait, she and Harry were going on a date? When did this happen? How was it that I didn't know?_ Anger welled in his chest at the thought that his best mate and his little sister were going around behind his barely heard the vague comments

"Harry is not stupid enough to back out on your date, Ginny. He's already in enough danger as is with the tournament," Hermione added, arching an eyebrow at Harry. "You aren't that stupid, are you, Harry?"

"Of cou--" Harry started to say before Ron interrupted him.

"So, Potter," he spat at Harry, who stood up to face him while letting Ginny's hand drop. "Just taking a break until your next interview? How are you going to tell Skeeter which girl you chose? Or are you just going to let her continue to guess? Maybe you haven't made up your mind yet, after all."

"Ron, what is your problem?" Harry asked exasperatedly.

"You, you're my problem. You were supposed to be my best mate. Yet, you went off and entered yourself in the tournament without me. Fred and George put their names in together like best mates should. I guess it goes to show how little you think of our friendship," Ron sneered.

"Actually, I think it goes to show how little you think of Harry if you honestly believe that he entered his own name into that cup," Hermione responded to Ron, standing up to face him.

"Hermione, come on. You can't believe that innocent face of his. Of course, he put his name in. How else would it have gotten in there?" Ron hissed at her.

"Gee, I don't know, Ron. A Death Eater? Someone who wanted to kill Harry? It's not like it doesn't happen every year. Oh, and by the way, Ron, I do believe the innocent face, especially since he made me a promise that he wouldn't put his name in," Ginny retorted, turning around on the couch to face Ron.

"A promise? That's supposed to convince me?" Ron looked askance at her.

"I always keep my promises Ron," Harry said through clenched teeth.

"He hasn't broken one yet," Ginny responded.

"And how many promises has he made you?" Ron questioned.

"Two. The one about the tournament and one he made in the Chamber," Ginny answered. Harry just turned to Ginny, with his mouth hanging open.

Ron, seeing that he was getting nowhere in this, muttered, "Whatever," before turning on his heel and storming out of the Tower.

HPGWHPGWHPGWHPGWHPGW

Dear Mum,

Your youngest son is being an absolute prat. I'm surprised that Harry hasn't hexed him yet, seeing as they sleep in the same room. Ron refuses to believe that Harry did NOT put his name in for the tournament. Both Harry and I have tried to tell Ron, but he refuses to listen to us. I even told him that Harry had promised me that he wouldn't put his name in, but that wasn't good enough for Ron. Honestly, how can you be best mates with someone when you don't even understand them? Harry made me a promise that he would not enter. He would never break a promise to me, Mum, never. Yet, Ron is continuing to be nasty to Harry, calling him names and starting fights.

Oh, and Mum, I'll warn you now in case you get an owl about it later. If Ron tries to wreck my Hogsmeade date with Harry, I'll put him in the Hospital Wing. I'll sic Fred and George on him. I'll hex him myself.

I miss you and Dad lots. Give Dad lots of hugs and kisses for me.

Love,

Ginny.

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November 21, 1994-- Gryffindor Third Year Girls' Dorm Room

Ginny rolled over in her bed, cursing the sunlight that slipped in through a crack in her curtains. It always fell right on her face, which was so annoying, especially when she had been having the most delicious dream. Her mouth curved upwards while she remembered the dream that had involved Harry and Hogsmeade. _Hogsmeade!_ she thought. Today was the day she would visit Hogsmeade for the first time and with Harry no less.

Forgetting that she had ever been annoyed at the sun, she tore open her bed curtains and fairly danced her way over to the window to look out over the grounds towards Hogsmeade. Opening the window, she took a deep breath of the cool air, savouring the moment until Anna stuck her head out of her curtains.

"Merlin, Ginny, that window is cold! Close it before we freeze to death in here," Anna rebuked.

"Isn't it a glorious day, Anna?" Ginny replied, not in the least nonplussed by her roommate's comments. She complied with the request before going dreamily back over to perch on the edge of her bed.

"Um, Ginny, are you feeling okay?" Anna asked in a worried tone. "You aren't normally this chipper in the morning. Oh, wait," she paused as if remembering something. "It's Hogsmeade day, isn't it? No wonder you're so happy. But you know not all of us third years are visiting with a Hogwarts champion," she teased Ginny.

"Well, there are only two of them and one is most decidedly taken. Thank you very much," Ginny said with a flounce.

"Oh really?" Anna arched an eyebrow at Ginny. "So are you two official?"

"No. We're just really good friends. I was referring to Cedric. He's been taken by the Ravenclaw seeker, Cho Chang," Ginny laughed at her roommate's assumption that she was referring to Harry and herself. She crossed to her wardrobe and took out the outfit she had chosen last night. Turning back to Anna, she gestured toward the bathroom. "I'm going to take my shower now before everyone else wakes up."

Still floating, she started her shower, lost in daydreams of how the day would go. As she soaped her hair with the shampoo she and her mum made using the roses they grew, she thought back to her conversation with Harry the night before in the common room.

"_So, Ginny, what do you __want to do tomorrow in Hogsmeade?" Harry asked, playing with the fingers on her left hand again. She never would have thought that Harry would ever feel comfortable enough with her to play with her fingers, but here he was doing it again. She was so caught up in the emotions that tumbled through her from the feel of his fingers on hers that he had to repeat his question._

"_I don't know, Harry. I've never been, after all. Besides, it really doesn't matter to me as long as I get to spend time with you," Ginny smiled at him. Harry's grin got wider as she talked. His fingers slowed __in their motions, but didn't stop._

"_So you'll let me plan everything? Do you trust me?" Harry asked her, weaving his fingers through hers and pulling her hand to rest on his thigh. This movement caused Ginny to move closer to Harry's side, which she did willingly. She dropped her head to his shoulder while staring into the fire._

"_Of course, I trust you. I don't know of very many people that I trust more than you, Harry. I don't think I even trust my parents as much as I trust you."_

_Harry seemed rather shocked at that statement because he didn't say anything for a little while. Ginny had almost fallen asleep as Harry made a comfortable pillow when he spoke again. "So it's settled. I'll plan the events of the day. You just come looking like your own beautiful self."_

_Ginny lifted her head off his shoulder to look at him, amazed at the compliment. Seeing that he wasn't joking, she felt a smile spread across her face. "Okay, I'll meet you down here to go to breakfast. I'll be ready to leave once we finish eating. I'm leaving myself in your capable hands, Mr. Potter."_

_He lifted her hand to his mouth and dropped a tender kiss on it. "Thank you. I'll take very good care of you, I promise."_

"_Now I know everything will be okay. You promised me. Well, I need to go to bed if we are leaving straight after breakfast. Good night." With that, she slid her hand out of his. As she crossed to the staircase, she heard Harry call out a good night. She went to sleep, thinking of how wonderful the next day would be._

Ginny had finished her shower and was working on her hair when Hermione knocked on her door. The older girl stuck her head in the door.

"Harry's waiting downstairs when you're ready, Ginny. You know, I don't think I've ever seen him this nervous before. It's strange, but good." She grinned at Ginny.

"Hermione, who are you going to Hogsmeade with?" Ginny asked, pausing in the brushing of her hair as she just realized that Hermione might have to go alone. Ginny didn't want anyone interrupting her day, but she didn't want Hermione alone, either.

"Don't worry, Ginny. Neville and I are heading in together as friends. If your brother wasn't so stubborn, I would be going with him, but he can't see the forest for the trees as usual," Hermione spouted off nonchalantly.

"I'm sorry," Ginny said as if she needed to excuse Ron's behaviour. Hermione just waved her off.

"I'll see you at breakfast, okay?"

Ginny returned to her preparations before finally deciding she was ready to go. Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly before leaving to descend the stairs to meet Harry. Her trip down the stairs was incredibly nerve-wracking. She was terrified that she would trip or that Harry would have given up on waiting on her and would have left already. When Ginny reached the bottom, she didn't expect to see Harry standing by the fire with his hands in the pockets of his trousers, looking very sullen.

"Harry?" she inquired, causing him to look at her. His face, which had been clouded before, went slack as his eyes went wide. Ginny looked behind her to make sure his reaction was to her and no one else. She couldn't believe that he was looking at her like that.

Harry swallowed rather loudly before saying, "Wow, Ginny. You look nice. I always knew how pretty you were. Your hair, it's like… I have no words to describe it. I'm not good with words anyway."

"Thanks, Harry." She blushed. "You clean up rather nicely as well." She could tell that he had tried to straighten up his hair, but had ended up running his fingers through it nervously. "What's the matter?" Ginny asked, trying to ascertain what had caused his discomfort.

Harry looked at his hands before, turning to sit on the couch. "Are you sure that you want to go with me? You could go with almost any boy here at Hogwarts. Why would you want to be stuck with one that's being shunned by over half the school?" He buried his head in his hands.

"Harry, where is this coming from? Of course, I want to go with you. You're my best friend. Who else would I want to go with?" Ginny sat beside him, taking his right hand in both of hers.

"Dean Thomas, that's who," Harry muttered through his left hand that was covering the bottom half of his face.

"Why would I care about going with Dean?" Ginny asked, not seeing why Harry would ever think she wanted to go with Dean.

"Well, he was your first kiss, wasn't he?" Harry asked with a tinge of what Ginny thought might be jealousy in his voice. Her heart started galloping in her chest.

"No, he wasn't. Whatever gave you that idea?" Ginny retorted, completely blindsided by the thought of kissing Dean. The only one she wanted to kiss was Harry.

"I thought he kissed you on the Hogwarts Express. That's all. So he didn't kiss you?" Harry looked perplexed.

"Is that why you came and sat by me that night at the feast? You thought Dean had kissed me and you didn't like that idea?" Ginny questioned, amazed at Harry's over protectiveness. She dropped his hand and crossed to stand in front of the fire. Did he really think that she couldn't take care of herself? Like she didn't have any say in the matter if Dean wanted to kiss her? She didn't need another brother. She had six of them already. Well, yes, it could be considered flattering to be cared for by Harry like that, but it wasn't the type of relationship she had thought she had with Harry.

She looked back at Harry, who was sitting on the couch, struggling for the words to explain. "Gin… yes, I didn't like the idea of him kissing you."

"Well, at least you're honest," she muttered. "Why in Merlin's name did you care anyway?"

"Because I wanted to be your first kiss," Harry looked startled when those words came out. Ginny was stunned. That was something she hadn't expected to ever hear Harry say.

"But you… you were falling all over Cho. I thought you wanted her. Why would you ever look at me if you liked her? She has dark hair and beautiful skin," Ginny stammered.

"Ginny," Harry said, crossing to take her hands in his. "Yes, Cho is very pretty, kind of like a painting, you know? Pretty to look at, but you can't touch paintings without messing them up. You, on the other hand, are prettier because you're more real." He lifted one hand to her cheek. "I can touch you and not worry that I'm going mess anything up. The beauty you have can't be marred by a touch."

Ginny couldn't believe her ears. Was this Harry Potter, the boy she had had a crush on before giving up? Was he really saying that she was pretty? She watched as he leaned his head in closer to her and gently touched her lips with his. Her eyes closed automatically. Ginny felt him move back away from her before she opened her eyes to look into his deeper than normal green ones that were glinting behind his glasses.


	10. Revenge?

A/N: This is it! I'm done! Woo Hooo! Thanks to my beta, jk_salmeier! She's been awesome. Now I can get back to work on Children of Prophecies. But RL has me running in lots of circles between now and the end of the month, so don't expect anything too soon. Thanks to everyoen who has read and reviewed and alerted! :)

Chapter Ten—Revenge?

November 21, 1994-- Gryffindor Common Room

George Weasley stopped short on the bottom step of the boys' staircase with his twin running into his back.

"Ow, why did you stop?" Fred demanded of his twin. George simply pointed to the area by the fire. After looking over, he blinked several times. "Forge, are my eyes deceiving me? Is that our munchkin of a sister with her lips pressed against our resident champion?"

"Gred, your eyes are not being deceitful." They both watched silently as Harry pulled away from Ginny.

"Methinks this calls…" Fred started.

"for a prank. Didn't she say.." George continued.

"they were nothing…"

"more than friends." Both twins finished together with a scowl. After watching Ginny grab Harry's hand and pull him out of the portrait hole, Fred's scowl turned into a smirk.

"I know just what to do. Quick, we need a potion from my trunk and some fast footwork, but I'm sure that we can pull this off."

"Care to share your brainstorm, O Wise One?" George called after his twin, who had raced up the stairs to their room.

"Oh, I will. Just not until we're on our way down to the Great Hall," his brother's voice echoed down the stairs.

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Great Hall

Ginny sat down at the Gryffindor table still holding Harry's hand. Absentmindedly, as her mind was still reeling from the fact that _Harry!_ had kissed her, Ginny started filing her and Harry's plates with breakfast foods before pouring pumpkin juice for them both. Feeling Harry's eyes on her, she turned to look at him.

"What?" she asked, worried that her hair was messed up or something. She tried to let go of Harry's hand to run her fingers through her hair, but Harry tightened his grip on her hand.

"It's just…" Harry shook his head. "You put all my favourites on my plate. How did you know?"

She blushed and ducked her head. Getting her Gryffindor courage out, she turned back and looked at him. "I pay attention, Harry, to things that interest me."

Harry grinned. "I don't know of anyone else who would know what I like. In fact I don't know anyone else who would even care to find out what I like to eat for breakfast. So thanks."

She grinned before turning to eat. Breakfast seemed to pass very slowly to Ginny. She wanted to get to Hogsmeade and enjoy her day with Harry.

Her twin brothers bounded up slightly out of breath. She should have thought something was up then, especially when they said nothing to her about Hogsmeade or Harry, but she was too caught up in the feel of Harry's hand holding hers under the table.

Before she and Harry left, the twins came over to them and clapped a hand on one of their shoulders. Both Harry and Ginny turned toward each other before looking at the twins.

"Harry, is it true that you'll be escorting our dear ickle Gin-Gin to Hogsmeade?" the twins chorused.

Ginny watched as Harry looked back and forth between the two as if he was trying to determine their intentions. She was so busy watching confusion spread across his face that she missed Fred slipping something in their juice cups.

"Yes, it's true," he answered cautiously.

The twins' faces brightened as they told Harry and Ginny to have a wonderful time in Hogsmeade. They exited the room clapping each other on the back and jostling shoulders.

"What was that all about?" Harry wondered, turning back to the table before draining his juice. After Ginny finished hers, he stood up and offered her a hand. "Well, shall we?"

Placing her hand in his, she very gracefully stood up and answered, "We shall."

The couple strode out the door and down toward the gates where Filch stood checking students with permission slips. Ginny waved at Hermione, who was standing and talking with Neville ahead of them. Craning her head around to look at who else was coming, she saw her friend Luna inspecting the area near the gates. Ginny wondered if she was looking for Nargles or something like that. Feeling Harry's hand pulling on hers, she walked forward in line with him.

"What are you thinking about?" Harry asked her.

"Wondering what all we'll do today mostly, but also I was checking out who else is coming together today. It looks like quite a few couples, actually."

Filch looked over the list and nodded toward the couple. Harry tugged her forward through the gates of Hogwarts. "Well, are you prepared to be dazzled by the sights and sounds of Hogsmeade?"

"What do you have planned, Mister Potter?" Ginny responded with a huge grin and a twinkle in her eye.

Harry gave her a mysterious smile before simply shrugging his shoulders, saying "You'll see." They strolled down the path hand-in-hand, chatting comfortably like two close friends do who are slowly becoming more.

A huge body forced itself between the two of them, causing Ginny's hand to be ripped from Harry's. She shook her hand in pain and bewilderment before looking up to see Crabbe bumping shoulders with Goyle, laughing at them.

Malfoy's slimy, insidious voice rang out toward the couple. "Oh look, Potter's got a _girlfriend_. Aww!"

Harry stopped and turned around, facing Malfoy. He cocked his head to the side and said, "Yes, I do. What's your point?" Ginny's heart warmed at this. Her smile spread from one ear to the other.

"Surely even you could do better than a lowly poor blood-traitor?" Malfoy drawled, coming to stand toe to toe with Harry.

Harry grabbed Ginny's hand once more. "Malfoy, you only wish you could find someone half as good as Ginny here." Looking around, Harry added, "Evidently no one wants to go to Hogsmeade with a ferret." He grinned at Malfoy before turning and strolling away with Ginny.

Laughter pealed from all around them as the couple walked away. Ginny assumed that people had overheard Harry's remarks and were laughing at Draco. However, Ginny noticed that people were starting to point at her and Harry, laughing. She looked down at her clothes. No, nothing was missing or messed up. She reached up with her free hand and patted her hair. That seemed fine as well. Looking over at Harry, Ginny was startled to see his messy hair was now Weasley red.

"Um, Harry?" Ginny was a little scared to broach the subject with him. She looked at him, thinking that while she preferred his hair black, red wasn't too bad on him. It went well with his eyes. A thought rose unbidden in her- was she getting a preview as to what their child might look like? She almost stopped breathing.

"Yes, Ginny?" Harry looked over at her. His eyes widened and he appeared to stop breathing. He dropped her hand and turned around, acting like he was going back. Ginny grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Harry? Where are you going?"

"Ginny, don't you see? Malfoy must have done something to your beautiful red hair! It's black. I'm going to kill him." Harry started to try to go toward Malfoy, but Ginny tightened her grip on Harry's arm.

"Harry, it wasn't Malfoy. Think about it. When he tried to duel you in the hall, he sent _Densaugeo_ at you, right?" When she saw Harry slowly nod at her, she continued, "Well, this is too innocuous for him. This," dropping her hold on his arm to point to his hair, "is more like something the twins might pull. Oh, by the way, your hair is now Weasley red." She bit her lower lip, trying not to burst into laughter as his face turned almost the same colour as his hair. "Oh, look. You're starting to fit in with us even more." Her voice couldn't contain the laughter welling up in her.

He just looked at her, cocking his head to one side. "You know, even though you are laughing at your date, your hair isn't so bad black. But I much prefer the Weasley red. It goes with your freckles better."

"You dare bring up my freckles!" she screeched at him. "You know how much I hate them." Pretending like she was fuming, she marched a few steps away from him before he grabbed her hand once more.

"I'm sorry, Ginny," Harry said, trying to look contrite, but not quite pulling it off. "Here let me see if I can get our colour back the way it's supposed to be." He pulled out his wand. Waving it, he cast "_Finite_." Nothing changed. "_Finite Incantatem_." Again, no change. "Darn, what did your brothers do to us?"

Ginny shrugged. "It looks like we'll have to deal with this for now, at least. But you just wait until I see those twins. They'll regret they were ever born." She smirked.

Harry stopped her. "Ginny, we're a team now. Don't go planning anything without me. I'll definitely help you get back at your brothers. In fact, I'll _promise _you that we'll get our revenge."

"Another promise?" Ginny smiled as she thought about how Harry had fulfilled every promise he made to her. "I'll take every promise I can get from you." Harry leaned over and ran his free hand through her now dark hair. His lips lightly touching hers caused a tidal wave of emotions to pour through her.

"There. I sealed this promise with a kiss."

"You can do that every time as well," Ginny said, leaning into Harry's shoulder as they walked off to enjoy their day in Hogsmeade.


End file.
